2010-10-20

Straits Money Talks 兩岸綠行歡迎光臨

On Oct. 20th Taiwan's Minister of Transportation and Communications Mao Chi-kuo said that Taiwan will accept independent visitors to Taiwan as reported by Focus Taiwan.This is fantastic news for so many would-be Chinese tourists who, until now, had been forced to join tours organized by travel agencies. Anyone who has been on one of those tours knows how gruelling these can be. With every single second organized from dawn to dusk, including trips to your hotel room for a ten-minute freshen-up and bathroom relief before meals.

I can see that the ones who will be able to afford these trips will be especially Chinese citizens living abroad. Going to Taiwan on an individual basis is not cheap and already Hotel managers' eyes are lighting up at the prospect:

"Chen Jung-hui, assistant manager with the Ambassador Hotel Taipei, said five-star tourist hotels had not benefited greatly to date from the country's opening to Chinese tourist groups because of the cost factor. 'We look forward to independent Chinese visitors, who will be more likely to check into hotels of higher rates,' Chen said."

Many Taiwanese will remember the second week, in July 2008, when the direct-flight tours started and three Chinese tourists had disappeared. All of the Taiwanese media panicked at the thought of mainlanders, probably spies, on the run. It was not until the next day when it was discovered that they had lost their way and were put up graciously with a hearty welcome by Taiwanese locals that Kuomintang old-timers relaxed.

Hopefully, these individual travellers will be provided with good maps and emergency telephone numbers on their arrival in Taiwan.
I wish them well.